Overflow-alarm.



No. 756,999. PATENTED APR. 12,1904. E. M. WEEKS.

OVERFLO'W ALARM.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 20, 1904.

N0 MODEL.-

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UNITED STATES Patented April 12, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

OVERFLOW-ALARNI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 756,999, dated April 12, 1904.

Application filed January 20, 1904:. Serial No. 189,873. (No model.)

To ail whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD M. WEEKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have in: vented certain new and useful Improvements in Overflow-Alarms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to overflow-alarms; and it consists in the constructions, combinations, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

The objects of my invention are to obviate the defects existing in previous types of overflow-alarms and to provide a simple and inexpensive device capable of being instantly adjusted to receptacles of various sizes.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which similar reference symbols indicate corresponding parts in the several views, Figure l is a sectional elevation illustrating one embodiment of my invention adapted for use with the drip-pan of a refrigerator. Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation, on a larger scale, clearly illustrating the construction of the disk or washer shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation illustrating a modified construction of my invention. Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a further modification. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view, on a larger scale, illustrating the disk employed in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation illustrating a modified construction in which my improved alarm device is supported to the rifn of the drip-pan; and

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view, on a larger scale, illustrating the support shown in Fig. 6.

Referring especially to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, 1 indicates a guide supported on a standard 2, the guide and standard being shown formed of a single length of flexible wire of low resiliency, whereby the height of said guide can be conveniently adjusted by bending the legs of its supporting-standard.

A disk 3, preferably of wood fiber or other non-conducting material, is secured to the upper portion of the guide in any suitable manner, as by bulging the guide to form shoulders 4 at both sides of the disk. The disk 3 is shown provided with two pairs of apertures 5 6 for securing electrical connections 9 and 10 thereto, each connection being led down through one of the apertures 5 and back through the corresponding apertures 6 to securely hold the connection in place and to form a loop 7, projecting from the lower face of the disk and constituting a contact-point for a float 8, which latter is slidably mounted on the guide 1. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the float 8 comprises a hollow metallic ball carrying a sleeve or bushing embracing theguide 1.

In the use of the above-described apparatus the electrical connections are arranged in series with an electrical bell or other alarm and with a source of electrical energy, such as a battery. The flexible legs of the standard 2 are then bent to properly adjust the position of the disk 3 for a particular drip-pan or other receptacle wit-h which thedevice is to be used. This adjustment is usually so made that the float 8 will be raised against the loops 7 when the liquid in the pan has reached nearly to the top thereof. When the float is thus raised in contact with the loops 7, the electrical connections will be short-circuited therethrough and the alarm actuated to give timely warning that the receptacle is nearly full and about to overflow.

It will thus be seen that my invention provides an extremely simple device which can be quickly and conveniently installed by merely connecting the electrical connections 9 and 10 to a circuit containing a source of electrical energy and suitable alarmand by bending the flexible legs of the standard 2 to properly adjust the position of the disk 3 relatively to the'r-im of the receptacle.

Fig. 3 shows amodified construction in.

which the guide 1 is supported on a standard 11, which may be formed of galvanized iron or other material of low resiliency to permit bending of its supporting-legs to adjust the position of the guide 1.

tion of the guide is suitably secured the me" tallic disk 12, shown formed with a tapered At the upper porslot 13 to constitute a convenient means for attaching one of the electrical connections 14 thereto. In this construction the float 15 preferably comprises a sphere of wood or other light non-conducting material and carries the second electrical connection 16, which is attached thereto by means of a screw or metallic plug 17, arranged to engage the disk 12 when the float is in its upper position. In this modification the electrical connections will be shortcircuited through the disk 12 and plug 17 and the alarm actuated when the float is in its upper position.

Fig. 4 illustrates a construction in which the guide 1, with its attached disk 3, is suspended from an adjustable bracket 18, carried by a standard 19, the bracket 18 being formed of flexible material having a low resiliency in order that it may be bent to properly adjust the position of the disk 3, carrying the electrical connections. The guide 1, bracket 18, and standard 19 can all be conveniently formed of a single length of wire, as shown in Fig. A. The float illustrated in Fig. 4 comprises a sphere 20, of wood or other light material, slidably mounted on the guide 1 and carrying a metallic plate 21 in position to contact the two loops 7 and short-circuit the electrical con-. nections 9 and 10 when the float is in its upper position. This construction is advantageous in that the legs of the standard 19 can be maintained in a single plane, thus providing a maximum width of base and insuring stability, the adjustment of the disk 3 being secured by bending the bracket 18.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a construction in which the guide 1 and its attached disk 3 are carried by an arm 22, provided with a support 23, adapted to securely engage the rim of a pan or receptacle. In this construction the device is supported on the rim of the vessel and the disk 3 will always be held in proper relation to the rim of any vessel to 1 the arm 22 can be bent to properly adjust the disk 3. As shown 'in Figs. 6 and 7, the guide 1, arm 22, and support 23 are formed of a single length of wire, although other constructions could obviously be employed, if desired. It will be noted that the support 23 engages the receptacles rim at both sides of the arm 22, thereby providing an extended support which will prevent accidental tilting of the device.

The disk carried at the upper portion of the guide can be rigidly secured thereto, or the shoulders 1 can be constructed to permit slight tilting of said disk in order to insure contact of the floats with both the electrical connections.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. As an article of manufacture, an alarm device comprisinga guide, an adjustable support of flexible material for said guide, a disk, or plate, of non-conducting material carried at the upper portion of said guide, electrical connections secured to said disk, and a float slidably supported on said guide and arranged to short-circuit said electrical connections in its upper position, substantially as described.

2. As an article of manufacture, an alarm device comprising a guide and an adjustable standard therefor, formed of a single length of flexible wire with said guide, and constituting means whereby the position of the guide can be adjusted by bending said flexible standard, a disk, or plate, of non-conducting material carried at the upper portion of said guide, electrical connections secured to said disk, and a float slidably supported on said guide and arranged to short-circuit said electrical connections in its upper position, substantially as described.

3. As an article of manufacture, an alarm device comprising a guide, an adjustable support of flexible material for said guide, aperforated disk, or plate, of non-conducting material secured to the upper portion of said guide, electrical connections extending through the perforations of said disk to secure them to the latter and to constitute loops extending from the lower surface thereof, and a float slidably supported on said guide and arranged to contact with said loops when in its upper position, substantially as described.

4. As an article of manufacture, an alarm device comprising a guide, an adjustable support of flexible material for said guide, a perforated disk, or plate, of non-conductingmaterial arranged on the upper portion of said guide, shoulders formed integral with said guide in position to clamp said disk, electrical connections extending through the perforations of said disk to secure them to the latter and to constitute loops extending from the lower surface thereof, and a float slidably supported on said guide and arranged to contact with said loops when in its upper posi tion, substantially as described.

5. As an article of manufacture, an alarm device comprising a guide and an adjustable standard therefor, formed of a single length of flexible wire with said guide, and constituting means whereby the position of the guide can be adjusted by bending said flexible standard, a perforated disk, or plate, of non-conducting material secured to the upper portion of said guide, electrical connections extend- Intestimonywhereoflhavesignedmyname ing through the perforations of said disk to to this specification in presence of two wit- I0 secure them to the latter and to constitute nesses.

loops extending from the lower surface there- 5 of, and afloat slidably supported on said guide EDWARD WEEKS and arranged to contact with said loops when Witnesses: in its upper position, substantially as de- THOMAS DURANT,

scribed. I G. AYREs. 

